TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
BY: MATTHEW BAUMGARDNER, P.E., DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS/
CITY ENGINEER
DATE: FEBRUARY 13, 2024
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON THE CITYWIDE BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City Council will consider receiving and filing an update on the Citywide Bicycle Master Plan. In 2015, the City Council adopted the plan and CIP 19-14 was created in Fiscal Year 2019-2020 to begin implementation of the first phase of the plan. At the request of the City Council, an update of the Bicycle Master Plan is being provided.
RECOMMENDATION
That the City Council:
Receive and file a report on the Citywide Bicycle Master Plan, including the next phase of work currently in design.
BACKGROUND
The goal to develop a Bicycle Master Plan (BMP) was established in the General Plan Circulation Element adopted by the City Council in 2005. In order to establish a framework for cycling as an alternate travel mode, maximize the connectivity within the City by bicycle, and provide a blueprint for the future development of bicycle infrastructure, the City identified the need for the preparation of the BMP. In March 2013, the City entered into a Fund Transfer Agreement with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for $250,000 to develop and implement a BMP over a two-year period. The overall project objectives in developing the plan included:
• Improved mobility and access through improved bicycle infrastructure • Reduced congestion caused by vehicle traffic by providing alternative means of transportation
• Reduced greenhouse emissions by reducing the number of vehicles on roads • Increased safety for bicyclists and motorists by improving bike pathways • Increased use of public transportation by interconnecting bike pathways with existing public transportation infrastructure
• Enhancing the local economy by improving access to business while allowing for safe and efficient mobility for local works
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In May 2014, the City Council awarded a Professional Services Agreement to Fehr & Peers to develop the BMP, which was adopted by the City Council in July 2015. The creation of the plan meets the goal established in the General Plan Circulation Element adopted by the City Council in 2005.
The BMP involved extensive data collection and public outreach in 2014 through a series of four community workshops held at various locations around the City: at special events like the Tour de Downey and Summer Concerts at Furman Park; the usage of social media; and a Bicycling needs assessment survey, circulated in English and Spanish. A total of 411 responses and comments were collected from the Community through all outreach efforts. The key issues identified in the BMP outreach responses included:
• Lack of bicycle lanes and speeding discouraged people from biking • Many residents enjoy riding on the bike paths along the east and west sides of the City, but experience difficulty biking to them due to lack of bicycle lanes. • Metro Green Line Station provides regional access to jobs and resources, but lacks designed bike facilities between the station and neighborhoods within Downey.
As a result of the data collected and input solicited, several bicycle -related projects were identified. In addition, a project prioritization and implementation plan was developed with a recommended order of execution, and potential funding sources were outlined. The projects are phased in the BMP according to Phase I: near -term (4-5 years), Phase II:
mid-term (9-10 years), and Phase II: long-term (14-16 years). Phase II projects are enhanced Class III bike lanes that are coupled with other traffic calming measures. Phase III projects are more involved projects like bike bridges that require significant funding and long range planning. Attachment A shows the location of the existing Bike Paths on the east and west ends of the City, as well as the proposed Phase 1 and Phase 11 bike improvements.
Phase I
Phase I is for near -term projects and involves Class II and III bike routes, bike parking facilities, and wayfinding signage. Class II bike routes are defined as having marked bike lanes on the road and signs. Class III bike routes are bike routes with signs only, but may include sharrows, which are pavement markings of a bicycle with two chevrons above it.
This indicates to motorists and bicyclists that the path is to be shared. Class III bike routes are used in areas where a bicycle lane is considered impractical.
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Example of Class 11 bike lane
Example of Sharrow
Following the adoption of the BMP by the City Council, staff applied for and received a $2,277,933 grant for implementation of Phase I through a 2015 Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) Call for Projects. The funds were eventually awarded to the City through a Transfer Agreement with Metro in 2019. Since that time, the grant funds have been used for the design of the Phase 1 Class II and Class III bike lanes, which are currently at a 90 percent design level. Staff has not moved forward with bidding for construction because of the need to first repave streets before bike lanes can be striped on the pavement. The grant funds do not cover pavement treatments other than slurry seal resurfacing.
ANALYSIS
The BMP identified a need to construct a number of potential near -term Class 11 and Class III bike lanes. Since the City Council adopted the plan, staff has gradually addressed some prioritized projects as part of pavement rehabilitation projects. In 2021, Class 11 and Class III bike lanes were included as part of the Old River School Road Pavement Rehabilitation Project, CIP No. 16-20 as called for in the BMP. In addition to addressing the community input to have marked bike lanes, the prioritized Class II lanes on this project have resulted in a significant reduction in the complaints staff receives regarding excessive speeding between Imperial Highway and Stewart and Gray. Prior to the start of the project, staff sent out project fact sheets regarding the project to the residents and to the administration at Stauffer Middle School and Old River Elementary. No opposition was noted from the community or school regarding the bike lanes. Attachment B shows
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examples of before and after construction along Old River School Road after the striping of Class 11 Bike lanes. It also shows the Class III bike route that is marked with sharrows before the start of the drop-off area for the two schools and the Class 11 bike lane that begins after the drop-off area.
Bikes lanes can be used as an effective traffic calming measure. Traffic is calmed or slowed down due to the effect marked bike lanes have on narrowing the lane width for motorists. Class 11 bike lanes have effectively calmed traffic by reducing motorists' speed.
The view of a narrow lane impacts drivers by subconsciously giving a perception to drivers to slow down and be more careful. This is consistent with safety studies showing that roads did not experience increases in collisions or traffic congestion when lane widths were decreased to add a bicycle lane.
In Fiscal Year 2019-2020, CIP 19-14 was created to implement Phase 1 on a larger scale.
In 2020, the City Council awarded a professional services agreement with KOA Corporation to design many of the prioritized near -term bike lanes identified in the BMP.
KOA is currently developing plans for eight roadway segments on which the Class 11 bike routes are proposed to be installed. These include:
Street
Limits
Distance miles
Downey Avenue
Gallatin Road to 5th Street
1.2 Downey Avenue
Firestone Boulevard to
2.0 Gardendale Street
Brookshire Avenue
Imperial Highway to
2.1 Cherokee Drive
Columbia Way
Imperial Highway to Foster
0.8 Road
Woodruff Avenue
Firestone Boulevard to
1.5 Foster Road
Gallatin Road
Tweedy Lane to Lakewood
0.9 Boulevard
Foster Road
Lakewood Boulevard to
1.9 east City Limit
Total Distance
10.5 The design scope also includes: Class III bike routes on segments of Brookshire Avenue, Stewart & Gray Road, and Columbia Way; 100 bicycle parking facilities; 50 wayfinding signs; and signalization modifications to enhance the detection of bicycles at 30 intersections. Funds for the design and construction of these improvements are covered by the Metro Call for Projects grant received in 2015. Metro did not immediately program funding for all the projects awarded in 2015 and the City eventually entered into a transfer agreement in 2019 to receive the funds. To date, the City has expended approximately $300,000 of the grant for the design of Phase I, which is currently at the 90 percent level.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
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Quality of Life, Safety & Infrastructure
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Bike Master Plan Map
Attachment B: Bike Master Plan Bike Lanes
3 �
. . .. .. .
Existing
Bicycle Facilities
Bike Path (Class I)
Under/Overpass NORTH
Bike Lane with Road Diet (Class II)
Planned
Bicycle Facilities
m
Bike Lane (Class II)
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Bike Lane with Road Diet (Class II)
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Bike Route (Class III)
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Buffered Bike Lane (Class II)
Gateway Cities Bike Project Idea Corridor
School
Park
Gateway Cities Bike Project Idea Location
Existing Bicycle Path Access Points
Phase II Bicycle Improvements
Old River School Road prior to striping of Class 11 Bike Lanes Old River School Road after the striping of Class 11 Bike Lanes Attachment B
Class III bike route marked with Sharrow near entrance of drop-off area for the two schools
Class II bike lane marked after the school bus zone in front of Old River Elementary